Improvement in looms



Unirnn Stains .armar ria@ 1i o TILLIAM TOVYNSHEND, OF HIXSDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

lWlPROi/ENEENT EN LOOlVlS.

rpeviicalion torming part ol Leiters Patent No. 2.603, daied March l, 155,3.

To all` whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM TowNsHEND, of Hinsdale, in the county of Berkshire and State of Massachusetts, have invented, made, and applied to use certain new and useful Improvements in the Construction of Looms for `Weaving, whereby the harness and heddles are moved with greater certainty in all kinds ot' iigured weaving, and with less machinery than heretofore employed; also, the picking motion for throwing the shuttle is simplified, the warp is allowed to be drawn offthe yarnbeani with more certainty and regularity, and the take-up motion for the cloth is more effective, simple, and cheap; and, lastly, the selvages to the cloth are formed by a peculiar arrangement of levers to work the sheds of the warp; and I do hereby declare that the .following is a full, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making part of this specification, wherein- Figure l is a plan of the 109m complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical section longitudinally through the center of the loom. Fig. 3 is a l'ront elevation oi" the parts complete. Fig. 4 is an elevation on the left side. Fig. 5 is a cross-section, showing the harness and parts that workthe same. Fig. 6 is a back elevation of the parts that give motion to the chain that sets the pattern. Fig. 7 shows the cani and parts that work the selvage-harness, and Fig. S is a detached plan ot' the comb-levers 'and balance-rods that work the harness and `heddles.

'ping this.

b is the frame of the loom, made in any eonvenient shape or form.

c c are cranks on the shaft a, receiving connecting rods or arms c to the lay d, by which the lay is vibrate'd. 4

d arc the reels, and d the uprights or swords connecting the lay with the rock-shaft l, supported in journals on the i'rame b, as usual.A

e e are upright frames on the frame b, receiving by tenons through mortises thehead-pieces e', which receive the cords to the heddles.

2 2 are adj listing-screws passingthrough the head-pieces e', and resting on lugs or projec* tions on the frames e. It will be seen that by this means the cords or straps to the heddles can be tightened whenloose, or slackened when tight, according as the weather or wear may operate on the cords, so as to keep them at the proper tension.

e2 are the heddles and frames, to receive and pass the warp. These are suspended by cords or straps 3, passing up over pulleys and 5, and between the pulley 5 andthe frame e the cords 3 are united, so as to form but one distinct cord or strap to each heddle, which cords or 'straps pass over pulleys 6 at the junction of the frames e and head-pieces e'.

1l are hooks on the backs of balance-rods l0, hereinafter described.

j' is a cross-piece beneath the heddles, receiving by adjustable eyes the spindle of the pulleys S.

7 are cords or straps attached to the under sidel of the frame ofthe heddle, in the middle, which cords pass under the pulleys 8, and also under pulleys 9, on. the frame Z), and arc attached to eyes on the lower end of the balance-rods l0. It will now be evident that each heddle can be moved up or down by any power applied to its balance-rod, and also that the balance-rods, being of the proper weight, effectu ally balance the heddles, so that the parts work more evenly and smoothly. I would here remark that any number of heddles, with their cords and balance-rods, may beused, although there are but six shown herein, the

pattern required to be woven. rlhe balance rods l() are formed double, or as a long slot, made by bending the upper end 'over and Vdown near to the vertical parts, and through the slot thus formed is a pin, 12, forminga ,centen ou which the rods can beswayed or moved in the direction toward the heddles at the saine time that they can slide up and l down. g are a series of knees or right-angle number of these being varied according to thelevers, corresponding in number to the nnmber of the balance-rods and heddles. These knees move on a center-pin, 13.

h is a face or shell cam on the outer end of the shaft a, on the outer side of which is an inclined projection or cam-piece, it', which, just as the lay is coming up to strike the nlling into the cloth, as seen in Fig. it, takes a roller, 25, on a right-angle lever, 26, on a fulcrum, 27, around which is a spring, (see Fig. 6,) that keeps the roller to the face of the cam h. The angle of the lever 2G takes, by a piu in a hole, the vertical lever 2S, to the upper end of which is a sliding catch, 29, with a pro jection on the lower edge, that takes pins in a plate or wheel, 30, on a shaft, 31, supported in journals k. The sha-ft 3l has two heads or llanges on it between and near the journals 7c, which flanges have indentations to receive and carry the chain 7c. This chai1i,k, is formed of any number of links connecting shafts or rods, on which are rollers, which roll on the shaft 31 as the chain is taken up one notch each rotal tion of the shaft a. It will be seen from the form of the sliding catch 29 that one pin being within the hook on the under side, and the next pin in the rear sett-ing against the under side of the slide 29, the momentum of the chain cannot carry it more than one link at a time, the slide blocking it and requiring to be withdrawn horizontally to take up an other notch or pin. The rollers on the chain L set under the knees g, and the pattern be ing setup in the chain, reference being had to the. lead of the warp in the heddles and the other parts, so as to compose the pattern correctly in the chain, as will be understood by the workman, each successive link of the chain, by its rollers, lifts some of .the knees, while others drop between the rollers, as seen inFig. 4. The knees or right-angle levers g, turning partly on their center, press the tops of the balance-rods inward, which balancerods 10, moving on the center-pin 12, are moved out from the loom at their lower end, and held in this position during the other movements of the loom until the chain is again moved another link, when those balance-rods ythat are not held away from the loom by the knees g are brought into a vertical position vby the tension of the cords to the heddles, the corresponding knee g dropping between the rollers en the chain k. The object of this 4movement to the lower ends of the balancerods is next to be set forth.

n On the inner face of the cam-wheel 7L is a groove, 15, of the shape shown in Fig. 11 by dotted lines, the groove being eccentric to the shaft c, so as to give a motionto a roller, i,

and draw it toward or force it away from the .shaft a. This roller 11 is on and communi- 4of the comb-lever 16 to the vibrating lever 18 on a fulerum, 19, on the frame I).

lever 1S to a second and inner comb-lever, 21, ona fulcrum, 22. By this means, as the lever 16 is raised by the roller i, the lever 21 is depressed, and vice versa. Ou the lever 16 are teeth 23, similar to the teeth of a comb, and on the lever 21 are similar teeth, 24, set opposite, so that when the levers 16 and 21 pass each other the points of these comb-teeth just clear eachA other. On the balance-rods are notches 14 and x, which are formed by iling awaythe sides of the rods,so as to leave a knife-edge shaped part that enters between the teeth ofthe combs. At the time the lay reaches its farthest point forward (see Fig. 4) the levers 16 and 21 stand parallel to each other, and the groove 15 in the earn h, being concentric at this point, allows the levers 16 and 2l to remain quiescent fora short period. At this time the cam t" coming into operation, the chain is made to take up another link. Now. if there was no roller on the chain to raise the knees y, the balance-rods 10 would all remain in the comb-teeth 24 of the lever 2l, and by their notches as would be carried down, elevating the heddles; and, on the contrary, if the chain was formed as a roller, all across all the knees g would be elevated and the lower notches, 14, of the balance-rods would all be struck into the comb-teeth 23 on the lever 16 and be elevated, depressing the heddles; but the chain being niade with rollers, so as to elevate some knees g, while others are :not acted on, some of the balancevrods remain iu the comlrteeth 24, while others are struck over and retained in the comb 23, one being carried down, the other being carried up, elevates or depresses the heddles forming the warp into the shed, through which the shuttle is propelled on the lay, arriving at its backward position; It will be seen by reference to the shape of thegroove 15 in the cam h nearest the center that it is concentric. At this point the lay has nearly arrived at its farthest backward motion, and the roller fl beingl in this part of the groove, the sheds are held open, without having any motion until the shuttle is thrown, when the lay coming up to lay the filling the levers 16 and 21 are again brought parallel, the chain changed to another link, the balance-rods placed in their proper combs, and the operation proceeds as before. l

I would here remark that the chain k can be of any desired length to contain the pattern, and by my arrangement the rollers of the chain setting onto the shaft 21 are supported, and

the Aparts do not require to be as heavy as or` dinarily used to give the requisite strength.

On the shaft 81 is a small wheel, Z, withindentations orholes in its face, taking the tapering point on a spring, 32, which point, entering the holes,gives suflicient resistance to prevent the chain turning as the sliding catch 29 is drawn back to take another pin inthe plate 30. The periphery of this plate or wheel l is flattened in three places, as at 33, Fig.4 3,

20 is a link connecting the other end of the (there being six links of the chain contained being vertical.

atea :s

around the shaft 3l, but these ilattened places l -on the wheel Z must be for every two links in ythe chain.)

Z is a right-angle crank on a center, 3l, the upper and horizontal arni resting on the periphery of the wheel Z, and the other arm lVhen the horizontal arm is raised by the wheel Z, the lower end of the lever will be to the left, and when the horizon- 'tal arm by the next rnotion ofthe chain coines into the flat part 33 the lower end of the lever Z' is to the right. This inotion gives the sluit- Vt-le the blow or propulsion from first one end of the lay and then the other by the means next described.

35 are adj ustable boxes on the traine Z),

, .through which are slide-bolts or staples 36 and 37, the back parts of which are connected by a wire or string going across the looni l'roin one to the other. The lower end of the lever Z is formed as a fork, and sets over the staple 36. A spring, 39, applied in any 'convenient part, ltends to pull the staples 36 and 37 toward the right side .of the inachine, and by consequence the horizontal part of the lever Z onto the wheel Z. By reference to Figs. -l and 3 it will be seen that one vibration of the lay causes the point 37 to protrude on the right side, while the point 36 is drawn within the box 35, and at the next motion of the lay the point 36 is protruded and the point 37 rctracted by the spring. The points ot' these bolts or staples give inotion to the shuttle alternately from iirst one side and then the other by the lay in its motion carrying. the i'ulcruin of a lever on each side of the swords pastthe points 36 and 37, which, alternately taking these levers, inovethein, giving motion to the shuttle. 40 is the lever on left-hand sword, with a cord or strap at its lower end .passing over a pulley or roller, lli to one endot'v the right-angle crank fm', set on a fuleruni onthe roekshatt, the vertical part of which has a cord or strap to the picker-lever, to give the impulse to the shuttle in the box Tl2 on the lay.

4:3 is the iulcruni of the picker-lever on the V rock-shaft, and 4A: is the spring to return the parts to their proper place. The backward motion ot' t'helay, causing the lever 40 to take the point 36 and moving its fulcruin farther back, turns the lever and pulls on the cord over the pulley 4l, elevating the horizontal part of the crank ym and pulling on the picker-lever iz.

The parts on the right side of the looin are precisely similar and act alternately with those on the left side7 every other inotion of the lay, by the pin or bolt 37, taking the upper end of the lever 45, drawing on the cord or strap over the pulley 46, and by the rightangle crank m and its cord or strap giving motion to the picker-lever a and shuttle when in the box 47 ou the lay. As before,'the lever n and other parts are returned to place by a spring, 49, the lever a being attached by the fuloruin 48 to the rock-shaft.

On one end of the shaft (t is a doublegrooved shell-cani, o, formed as shown in Fig. 7, and within this groove is a block made tapering at the ends, set on a stud, 0*, ina lever, o. This lever o/ is on a fulcrum, 50. The shape of the groove in the cain o is such that the piece traveling in the outer groove is raised up on one end by a projection opposite to the opening between the inner and outer groove, and enters the inner groove, and ou `the Cain inaking another rotation a project-ion on-the inner groove inoves one end ot' the block downward, so that it enters the outer groove, so that by one rotation of the shaft a the lever o raised, and bythe next rotation it is depressed. To the nioving end of this lever o is a link, 5l, connecting to one end ot' a lever, o, running crosswise otl the loom and set on a fulcruin,

o;l is a lever on a i'ulci'uin, 5l, on the center bar or cross-piece, j'. The levers 0* and o3 are Connected by a piu passing through holes in the lever ot into a slot in the lever oi, by which ineans the lever o: is given greater or less ino tion as the pin is either changed to a hole farther away l'roni the i'ulcruin 52 or brought nearer to it. Y v

55 are cords or straps from each end oi' t-he lever o, passing up over pulleys 57 and down beneath pulleys or rollers 5G. These cords or straps carry loops or heddles to receive and nieve the warp to i'orni the selvage, and by the adjustable ineans for moving the lever o the warp for the selvage can be inade to correspond with the sheds ot' the warp worked by the other heddles and harness.

A is the yarn-beam, from which the yarn passes over the warp-roller p through the heddles and reeds, usual, the cloth being wound on the elothbea1n B.

p is a friction-bar set. against thel warp on the yarn-beam, and kept to its place by two or more right-anglelevers, q, on t'ulcruins 58, with adjustable weights 59. The operation of this part is that the bar p, being of the section shown and supported at the back, will have a `certain ainount ol" easing and working motion against the levers q, and the ainount of friction on the warp as it unwinds will be regulated bythe position of the weights 59. For

instance, it" the eloth is required to be thin, by

placing the .weights nearer the fulcrunl-S a given power employed to lay the filling will pull the warp along 'from under the bar p sufiicient for that width and closenessof iilling, and if it is wanted to have a greater number of picks to the inch ot" cloth, by putting the weights out farther on the levers q more power will be required to pull the warp along, and consequently the filling will be driven so inuch closer, and as the yarn decreases in size'the bar p does not have so much bearing on the yarn, which allows for the decrease of size and consequent power ofthe warp to overcome the friction of the beam in its bearings, and the one balances the other. Thus, by this siniple eontrivance the warp is given off with reguand clicks 64, or similar means to retain the amount of cloth taken up, which is effected by lthe following means:

60 are rods coming down from the breastbeam r to near the cloth-beam on each side of where the cloth is rolled.

s is a rod or strip of wood or similar mate rial in front ofthe rods 60. in which are staples or pins Gl, extending back toward the leg-- 62 is an apron7 ofthe width of the cloth, or may be straps or bands of cloth or similar material, as seen in Fig. 3, connecting the rod s with a weighted rod or bar, G3, of the proper weight, which tends to pull the rod s against the rods 60. The laynow coming up, takes the pins 6l, shoving the rod or strip s toward the front of the loom, and, lifting the weight 63, andthe apron 62 hugging the cloth, rotates it until the tension of the warp is as great as the friction ofthe apron, after which point the apron 62 and rod s slide on the cloth. The ratchets holdingv the cloth-beam,

` the weight 63 pulls the apron 62 down against as the lay recedes. I t will thus be seen that the tightness ofthe clot-h and warp is dependent solely on the amount of weight attached to the lower end of the apron or straps 62, for the more weight the more friction the cloth straps or apron 62 will have on the cloth to wind it up, the motion of the lay always .giving sufficient motion to take up the cloth,

and the apron sliding over the cloth when the warp is brought to the right tension by the regulated friction, and if no fllliugis deposited the cloth will not be eased by the lay to be taken up.

Instead of the staples 6l, the lay-sword di may have projections to take the rod ,sto move the same.

It will thus be seen that the loom works-as a whole to produce cloth ofthe desired quality, although many of the parts may be used with looms of other construction. Therefore I do not mean to limit myseli'to their combined use.

I am not aware of any motion having been taken from the chain as herein shown, so that as each link of the chain is moved a bolt orl staple is made to give the picking motion al ternately on one side and then on the other,

and throw the shuttle by the motion of thclay. Neither am I aware of any similar arrangements of levers on the sides of the swords to move the pickiugslevers through the cranks, as herein shown, thereby dispensing with the cam, shaft, treadles, cog-wheels, bores7 Sie., now used.

I am aware that the cam o has been used to Awork the selvages; butI am not aware of any arrangement of levers having been made to give greater or less motion from the cam to the warp at the selvages, asherein set forth; and, lastly, I do not know of any take-up motion having been produced by the friction of an apron or straps taking the cloth, said straps or apron being given an intermitted motion from the lay and kept onto the cloth by the requisite weight.

I do not claim actuating the pickers by the backward motion ofthe lay alone; but

NVhat I desire to secure by Letters Patent l. The camswheel AZ on the chain-shaft 31, right-angle lever Z@ and staples or slide-bolts 36 and 37, combined and acting, as described and shown, to bring the picking motion into operation alternately on each side by the backward motion of the lay, as specified.

2. Actuating theI pickershafts by the lay on its backward motion by means ofthe vibrating studs when combined with levers 40 and 45, attached to the swords of the lay, and the bent levers m and m', the whole arranged and combined in the manner described.

3. The levers o2 and o, connected together by the adjustable pin, so as to give greater or less motion to the selvage-warp when actuated by the cam o, as described and shown.

4. The apron or straps 62, connected to the bar s and kept to the cloth by the propel' weight or power, so as to cause sufficient friction to wind the cloth on the cloth-beam when said apron and bar are moved or actuated from the lay or otherwise, so as to produce the effects herein described and shown.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 21st day of August, 1852.

WM. TOWNSHEND.

"vitnesses:

LEMUEL W. SERRELL, CHARLns TERcnLLEN/r. 

